Milan Fashion Week: Did Chinese stars rescue designer-less houses?

Milan Fashion Week (MFW) unfolded against a backdrop of uncertainty, as several Italian luxury houses navigated creative transitions amid an ongoing economic slowdown. Without a clear creative lead, many brands turned to star-studded front rows to amplify visibility — particularly in China. Even brands synonymous with “quiet luxury” embraced this strategy: Brunello Cucinelli’s showroom welcomed Chinese actresses Dai Luwa and Zhang Men, while singer Zhang Bichen made an appearance at Ports 1961’s presentation. In total, MFW has racked up 106 million online engagements, according to Rehub*. Facing the abrupt exit of its creative director Sabato De Sarno just three weeks before its MFW show, Gucci leaned heavily on its celebrity draw. The presence of top-tier Chinese stars Xiao Zhan, Rong Zuer, and Wen Qi propelled the brand’s Weibo livestream to an impressive 32.4 million views. Meanwhile, industry speculation swirls around the appointment of Dario Vitale, former Miu Miu RTW design director, as Gucci’s next creative head under new CEO Stefano Cantino. Elsewhere, Jil Sander’s Fall 2025 show marked the end of an era, as Lucie and Luke Meier recently announced their departure from the label. Their eight-year tenure, credited with transforming the OTB-owned brand into a commercial force, saw annual sales nearly double to $415 million. OTB Group CEO Renzo Rosso said that without the Meier duo, Jil Sander might have remained a niche brand. Speculation now turns to their rumored move to Loewe following Jonathan Anderson’s exit. MM6 Maison Margiela also faced a leadership void following John Galliano’s departure in December last year, with Diesel’s Glenn Martens set to oversee the brand in the near future. This season, however, the collection was executed by the in-house creative team. Meanwhile, Bottega Veneta opted not to stage a show as it searches for a successor to Matthieu Blazy, who recently joined Chanel. The house now faces a critical decision: finding a creative leader capable of sustaining its growth trajectory. * In partnership with data-powered platform Re-Hub, Jing Daily delves into the online engagement — across Weibo, Xiaohongshu (RedNote), and Douyin posts — of these houses and their efforts to expand the reach of their runways to the Chinese market. Prada Online engagement: 2.06 million This season, Prada embraced imperfection with Raw Glamour, a collection that explored the tension between refinement and rawness. Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons questioned modern femininity, deconstructing traditional ideals of perfection. Frizzy hair, wrinkled hemlines, and untrimmed leather edges underscored their vision — a deliberate clash of polish and roughness that is quintessentially Prada. Historically, women’s fashion was shaped by restrictive garments like the corset, designed to sculpt the body into an idealized form. Prada subverted this by inflating 1960s-style dresses and slicing their hems raw, transforming the cinched waist into voluminous proportions. Beyond the runway, Prada reinforced its influence in China and beyond with a carefully curated front row. Chinese actresses Ma Yili and Chen Haoyu were joined by South Korean stars Byeon Woo-Seok, Karina, and Gawon, as well as Thai celebrity Toey Jarinporn Joonkiat. As K-pop and T-pop continue to shape regional fashion trends, these stars’ presence amplified Prada’s global appeal. The brand’s Weibo livestream garnered 20.5 million views. Fendi Online engagement: 978,290 Fendi is navigating a major shift with the upcoming departure of creative director Kim Jones. Adding to the significance of this season, the Roman house marked its centenary with Silvia Venturini Fendi, the third-generation heir and menswear creative director, taking the lead for this milestone show. While faux fur dominated Milan Fashion Week, Fendi — founded as a furrier in 1925 — reasserted its heritage with opulent real fur coats, intricately bejeweled knitwear, and structured leather jackets. Voluminous silhouettes and rich textures underscored the brand’s legacy of craftsmanship. Newly appointed brand ambassador actor-singer Tan Jianci and singer Song Yuqi drew significant attention in China, helping Fendi’s Weibo livestream amass 22.3 million views. Song also performed at the afterparty, debuting a tribute song in honor of the house’s anniversary. Tod’s Online engagement: 673,328 This season, Tod’s theme centers on The Art of Craftsmanship, blending leather and fur elements to balance Italian elegance with practicality. The collection features deep hues like burgundy and olive green, paired with double-layered cashmere coats and cropped wool jackets, highlighting exquisite tailoring and the tactile quality of fabrics. Creative director Matteo Tamburini continues the brand’s commitment to quality, embracing a “design by subtraction” philosophy that emphasizes relaxed cuts and fabric comfort. In a nod to sustainability, Tod’s collaborated with artist Nelly Agassi, who created a massive leather gown installation from leftover material. Global brand ambassador Xiao Zhan (nicknamed “Little Flying Hero”) made his third consecutive year appearance at the front row, attracting media and fan attention as he arrived at the show. Overseas fans cheered for him, and topics like #XiaoZhanMilanFashionWeek and #XiaoZhanWearsTods trended on Weibo’s Hot Search List. Some even purchased the same items at the Milan Tod’s store, where staff noted mentions of “XFX (Little Flying Hero) supports Tod’s” in customer records. Versace Online engagement: 481,435 With speculation swirling around Donatella Versace’s potential departure, the creative director delivered a defiant message: “With this collection, I am not following any rules — only the rules of the Versace DNA.” Staged at a Milan tram depot, the show opened with sculptural gowns crafted from Versace’s home collection quilts, setting the tone for a lineup steeped in the house’s signature codes. Broad shoulders, baroque prints, metallic sequins, color-blocked leather bras, skirts blooming like rose petals, and oversized coin bracelets reinforced the brand’s unmistakable identity. The presence of Chinese actor Hou Minghao and global brand ambassador, K-pop star Hwang Hyun-jin, fueled online buzz, with fans flooding Weibo with reposts of their front-row appearances. Beyond the runway, Versace is at the center of high-stakes negotiations. As of February 21, sources from Il Sole 24 Ore reported that Prada Group had been granted priority access to Versace’s financial data and is in the final stages of discussions with parent company Capri Holdings. Capri’s financial projections indicate that Versace’s full-year revenue for fiscal 2025 (ending March) could drop 20% YoY to $810 million. Yet, despite market challenges, Versace remains a singular force in luxury. Marni Online engagement: 111,397 The Marni Fall 2025 show became a lively cabaret, with live string instruments and drums, where some guests sat at tables while most stood throughout the venue. The collection was a whimsical blend of art, fashion, and creativity, blurring the lines between high design and everyday life. Fur transformed into delicate gowns, flowers bloomed from satin, and textured fabrics cascaded like creatures from a fairytale. The show celebrated the transformative power of creativity, merging Baroque opulence with urban influences. “The Salon,” the conceptual backbone of the collection, emerged from a chance meeting between Francesco Risso, artist Olaolu Slawn, and Nigerian visual artist and designer Soldier Boyfriend. This collaboration fused historical grandeur with raw underground energy. While actress Zhang Yuxin’s presence drove significant engagement, the brand didn’t spark much attention. Diesel Online Engagement: 78,511 Diesel’s Fall 2025 show was a spectacle, with a massive, eccentric graffiti installation and a 3km-long fabric mural created by around 7,000 street artists, embodying the brand’s rebellious spirit. Creative director Glenn Martens, who has transitioned from Y/Project to Diesel, brought a design style perfectly suited to the brand’s aesthetic. This season, he redefined Diesel’s identity with low-waisted silhouettes, deconstructed cuts, and experimental materials. Dresses and jeans featured waistlines pushed to the extreme, while tweed and denim were layered in unexpected ways. The use of plastic-like denim and velvet-embroidered sheer fabrics created optical illusions, blurring the boundaries of materials and enhancing the structural depth of the collection. With Martens now appointed as creative director at Maison Margiela, the question arises: Will he continue at Diesel, or focus entirely on his new role at Margiela? Max Mara Online engagement: 32,461 Max Mara is one of the few brands embracing the growing influence of Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote), sharing the entire runway show video on the platform — a move reflecting its increasing popularity. Fashion insiders and local media are now prioritizing Xiaohongshu for real-time updates on runway looks and celebrity appearances, gradually replacing Weibo. Actress Hu Xinger (Weibo followers: 10.9 million) was among the prominent attendees at this season’s show. Amid the frequent designer changes in the fashion industry, Ian Griffiths has remained a steady hand at Max Mara for 35 years. For this season, he drew inspiration from British literary classics, particularly the works of the Brontë sisters, including Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, to shape a collection that exudes both elegance and intellect. Max Mara’s iconic coats were reimagined with luxurious fabric combinations, including wool and leather, tweed, and velvet, paired with expert tailoring to create strong, sleek silhouettes. A standout was Cascia — an exclusive color inspired by the Yorkshire landscape, home of the Brontë sisters. With its gradient tones that evoke the shifting rock and sky, this hue was beautifully rendered in fine wool, draping fabrics, and double-faced wool, adding depth and richness to the collection’s elegant palette. Ferragamo Online engagement: 21,544 Just a day before its Fall 2025 show, Ferragamo introduced actress Gao Yuanyuan (Weibo followers 48.9 million) as its brand ambassador, reinforcing its vision of sophisticated, empowered femininity. Unlike many luxury houses that bank on idol-driven hype, Ferragamo remains selective, aligning its ambassadors with a 'Female Protagonist' (Da Nü Zhu 大女主) narrative of strength and refinement. Creative director Maximilian Davis continued his exploration of dance, shifting from ballet to fluid movement. Models walked on a petal-strewn runway in structured coats and flowing silk gowns, their bare feet in plush, fur-trimmed sandals — blending opulence with ease. The influence of choreographer Pina Bausch was evident in floral embroidery and oversized silhouettes, nodding to her signature aesthetic. Davis wove floral motifs throughout the collection, with petal embroidery cascading across dresses and blooming sculpturally on the ankle straps of mid-heeled shoes. Ferragamo’s Hug bag, a rising house icon, was cleverly reinterpreted as belt bags and integrated into leather tailoring, reinforcing the house’s signature balance of elegance and functionality. MM6 Maison Margiela Online engagement: 14,572 MM6 Maison Margiela’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection centers on deconstruction, exploring “magnification, minimization, and the practical wardrobe.” The designs focus on reconceptualizing classic pieces — like trench coats, tailored coats, and polos — through structural innovations such as detachable padded hangers and sculptural silhouettes. Emphasizing both freedom and individuality, the collection features garments with bold folds, innovative fills, and reworked proportions, all merging function and form. The color palette blends earthy tones with vibrant red and green accents, while materials like wool, leather, and cotton define the collection’s classic yet fresh texture. Accessories reimagine the classics — chunky boots, oversized bags, and dramatic gloves. Actress Charlene Choi made a surprise appearance, wearing MM6’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection at the show. Moschino Online Engagement: 9,012 Actress Charleine Choi also appeared at Moschino’s fashion show, but the event’s reach was limited. The Moschino Fall/Winter 2025 collection, themed “Tools of the Trade,” captivated with dramatic, ironic expressions of 1980s extravagance. Creative director Adrian Appiolaza deconstructed traditional fashion, using unfinished stitching, exaggerated silhouettes, and collage techniques. Drawing inspiration from Franco Moschino’s 1992 “mannequin” dress, the show opened with tailored suits featuring raw seams and pins, showcasing an artful, unfinished aesthetic. Cleverly positioned logos and flowerbud skirts injected humor and rebellion. The collection boldly challenged luxury fashion with dresses made from unconventional materials like paper and garbage bags. Moschino embraced its “quirky yet real” philosophy with practical elements and durability, blending craftsmanship with creativity. The show ended with a powerful “Don't Be Silent” cultural tee, highlighting climate and environmental themes with dark humor.

Milan Fashion Week: Did Chinese stars rescue designer-less houses?

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Published March 03, 2025

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Milan Fashion Week: Did Chinese stars rescue designer-less houses?